William Downie Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir

William Downie is one of Australia's leading Pinot Noir winemakers. He trained under Phillip Jones of Bass Phillip for a while. William Downie makes three different Victorian Pinot Noirs from the Mornington Peninsula, the Yarra Valley and Gippsland.

This is the 2008 William Downie Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir. The colour of the wine is between red and garnet, showing some development. The colour is still deep. The complex flavours of red and black cherry, as well as savoury notes have good intensity, but also some ethereal qualities on the back palate. Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir is sometimes accused of being too plummy or one dimensional, a Shiraz drinker's Pinot Noir. This wine is not like that. It is well balanced between fruit, oak, acids, and tannins. This wine is pleasingly long on the finish, expressing excellent varietal character.

This Downie is a smart and sophisticated wine, good to drink now.

Score: 95/+++